Line holder



June 6, 1939. T ELLIS ET AL 2,161,703

I LINE HOLDER Filed April 28, 1937 R afirfirg 631 [His Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT LINE HOLDER George T. Ellis and Robert Bratton, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,622

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in line holders and is especially adapted for use with our Endless clothesline pulley as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,057,566 issued October 13, 1936.

The object of this invention is to provide a device whereby a line, cable, or wire can be clamped in any desired position and supported by a hook or like means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that can be used to clamp a line from either direction without removing the line from the holder.

Another advantage of the invention resides in providing a device that will permit the line to be drawn through the device in either direction if it is desired to tension the line.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification of which the drawing forms a part and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device;

Figure 2 is a top plan view partly in section of the same;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the invention, and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts in the difierent views, a casing III comprising sections II and I2 is adapted to mount a sleeve I 3 through which is threaded a line I4.

Sections II and I2 are provided with corresponding openings I5 in which sleeve I3 is mounted. Section II is provided with an offset portion I6 into which portion ll of section I2 is adapted to be telescoped.

The sleeve I3 is provided with a series of corresponding openings I8 about its periphery which are adapted to permit the balls I9 mounted in casing I 0 to frictionally engage the line I4 and the cylindrical portion I! of casing I0 when the sleeve I3 is in its normal position so that a pull on the line from either direction will move the sleeve I3 relatively to the casing III to cause balls I9 to be wedged between line I4 and the tapered ends II or I2, as seen in Figure 3.

Portions I6 and ll of easing I0 are provided with alined openings 20 to receive the inturned ends 22 of bail 2| as best seen in Figure 4. The ends 22 hold the sections II and I2 in assembled position. The bail 2| is adapted to engage an anchoring means, such as hook 23, to attach the line.

In operation, assuming the device to be assembled as shown in the drawing, the line I4 is of sufficient diameter to force balls I9 outwardly of sleeve l3 and into frictional engagement with portion I! so that balls l9 are held between and in frictional engagement with the line I4 and portion I! so that a pull on line I4 will cause sleeve I3 to move longitudinally in the casing I0 causing balls I9 to move into engagement with the tapered portion II thereby wedging balls I9 between the tapered portion II and the line I4 preventing further movement in that direction. By swinging the bail 2! to an opposite position the device can be used to hold line I4 against movement in the opposite direction without otherwise adjusting the device, the balls l3 will then engage the annular tapered portion I2. If it is desired to adjust the line I4 relatively to the casing I0, casing I0 and sleeve I3 can be gripped, while in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the line I4 can be drawn through sleeve I3.

It is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to use with our aforementioned patent, but is also intended and adapted for any use where a line, cable, or wire is desired to be held. Only the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, the right being reserved to make such changes and modifications as will not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a line holder, a casing having a cylindrical intermediate portion and annular converging ends defining openings at the ends of said casing, a tube slidably mounted in said openings, extending through said casing and disposed centrally thereof, said tube having a series of circumferentially disposed spaced openings intermediate of its ends, balls mounted in said casing and projecting partially through said openings into said tube, said balls being normally disposed contiguously with the cylindrical portion of said casing, and a line extending through said tube, said line being of a diameter sufiicient to engage the balls and to urge them outwardly whereby the balls will be disposed between and in frictional engagement with the line and cylindrical portion of the casing so that a pull in either direction on the line will move the balls and tube relatively to said casing whereby the balls will contact one of said annular converging ends and be moved inwardly thereby and into wedging engagement with the line.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a cylindrical portion and an annular converging end, said casing having aligned restricted openings at its ends, a sleeve extending through said casing disposed centrally thereof and slidably mounted in said openings, said sleeve having a series of spaced circumferentially arranged openings intermediate of its ends, spherical shaped wedge members mounted in said casing and projecting partially through said last 10' mentioned openings and into said sleeve, said sleeve and of a diameter sufficient to engage said spherical wedge members to force them outwardly of said sleeve and into engagement with said cylindrical portion whereby said spherical wedge members will be held between and in frictional engagement with the line and cylindrical portion of the casing so that a pull on said line in one direction will move the sleeve and wedge members so that said Wedge members will contact the converging ends of said casing and be urged 1O inwardly thereby to clamp the line.

GEORGE T. ELLIS. ROBERT C. BRATTON. 

